An organisation set up in the memory of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones has shared its 'devastation' at the news of the killing of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
The Rhys Jones Foundation and community centre was established in Croxteth in the wake of the murder of 11-year-old Rhys, who was shot dead when walking home from football training in 2007. The community centre is committed to bringing about change through education, raising aspirations and community unity.
Responding to news of the senseless killing of nine-year-old Olivia, who was shot dead at her home in Dovecot last night on the 15th anniversary of Rhys' death, the foundation said: "The Rhys Jones Foundation are devastated to hear the news that last night a nine-year-old girl sadly lost her life due to gun crime. 15 years to the day that we lost Rhys.
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"This past week has once again put a dark cloud over this city and something has got to change. Our thoughts are with the family of the young girl who was taken last night, as well as the families affected by the tragedies across the city this past week."
Another prominent city organisation, the Anthony Walker Foundation, also responded to the killings of Olivia and Ashley Dale, who was shot dead at her home in Old Swan over the weekend. The foundation was set up after the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker in Huyton in 2006.
On twitter, the foundation said: "We are saddened to witness the needless violence that continues to hunt our city. Just two days ago, Ashley Dale lost her life to gun violence. Tragically, this morning a 9-year-old girl suffered the same fate. Our deepest sympathies to the families of these innocent victims."
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